1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electrical shift-by-wire selection of a desired transmission operating range.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional automatic transmission system for a motor vehicle, a direct mechanical linkage connects a driver operated gear shift lever, whose movement actuates the transmission gear shift mechanism through a cable.
In a shift-by-wire system, this direct linkage is separated and an electronic system that includes solenoids or motors may be used to produce the intended position of the gear shift mechanism.
In a shift-by-wire system that uses a push button or multiple discrete input driver interfaces, several opportunities and challenges exist in providing gear shifting that is intuitive to the operator and delivers safe vehicle operation.
A need exists in the industry for a shift-by-wire system that uses in combination hardware that produces the shift-by-wire function, such as a vehicle operator interface and push buttons, and a method for controlling the system.